The Adventures of the Empress of the Universe

I've enjoyed all the good wishes for the coming year and, looking back on this past year, I hope 2013 will be a much better one for me.  The last part of 2012 wasn't so great...  a bad bout of pneumonia followed by five fractured ribs and a fractured thumb.  These put me behind on quilt projects that needed to be finished by the end of December....   I finished up my Christmas quilt and enjoyed it during the holidays.

...and I finished the quilt for my brother's 60th birthday just before Christmas...

Now, I just had to quilt and bind my nephew's quilt.  I worked diligently on quilting "Fish Camp, Trout Pond" and was down to the last six inches of the border...

 

...when I ran over a basting/safety pin that had somehow got hung up on the bottom of the quilt.   *kachunk*

After I calmed down, I used pliers and wire cutters to get the basting pin out of the machine.   I worked on the machine and realized that the hook was no longer catching the upper thread on its trip around the bobbin...   *sigh*       

Ever resourceful (and desperate to finish the quilt), I pulled out my first sewing machine, which hasn't been used in 20 years.... and gave it a good cleaning and oiling, working to make sure the oil got where it needed to go.

 Sewing with this old baby, I was reminded exactly why I decided that a new machine was necessary, not just a "wish" or a "luxury"...   oy!    However, I was able to finish the quilting on the border and had three-fourths of the binding attached to the quilt when....    *kachunk*

I gave up gracefully...  but I think the fact that my daughter and granddaughters were here kept me from a venting session.   I presented the quilt to my nephew, who loved it, and promised him that, as soon as my machine was fixed, I'd finish the quilt and mail it to him.

So, on New Year's Eve, my friend Deborah and I made a road trip up to Raleigh to drop off my baby to be repaired and to be cleaned/serviced at the same time.   Bernina World of Sewing had a half-off Christmas fabric sale and I couldn't resist buying two panels of "Sentiments" by Moda.  I have no idea what I'll do with it but I'm sure I'll think of something.

After a delicious lunch at The Cheesecake Factory at Crabtree Valley Mall...

...we stopped by JoAnn's with coupons in hand!   I had used up the last of my batting for the "Fish Camp, Trout Pond" quilt and found that it was on sale for 50% off... plus I had a "10% off your entire purchase" coupon as well!

Not very exciting but much needed!   The batting will be transferred to the card board roll for easy storage.

 

While I won't be sewing until my machine is fixed and retrieved, I will spend time in my sewing room... straighten it up, reorganizing, and working on getting all the fabric scraps sorted into the bins.   It needs doing...